Health Benefits Of Acerola

Botanically called Malpighia emarginata, acerola is a tropical shrub, belonging to the family.

Some of the health benefits of acerola are as under:

First and foremost, acerola being a rich source of Vitamin C helps boost the immune system. It helps in the proliferation of T-cells and prevents straining of the immune system. As such, acerola berries help prevent and cure infections and diseases.

Also attributed to the rich Vitamin C content of acerola, it helps prevent and cure oral and dental problems like loosening of teeth, pain and inflammation of gums and cavities.

It's extract is known to prevent and cure unrelenting cell division and proliferation. As such, acerola demotes the formation of oncogenes or cancer cells.

It also helps prevent hair loss, also enhancing hair texture.

It is a rich source of flavonoids and carotenoids, which helps reduce the pace of ageing. It promotes cell regeneration and reduces the visible signs of ageing like fine lines, wrinkles, patchy skin, dark spots and uneven skin tone.

Helps in promoting blood circulation, thereby leading to even distribution of nutrients as well as oxygen. As such, it nourishes the body and also helps in maintaining the overall physiology of the body.

It is a rich source of polyphenols, which help in reducing the blood sugar to a considerable level. As such, it helps cure diabetes.

It is a natural chelating agent, which serves to protect you from the adverse effect of environmental pollutants and irritants. It helps protect you from the harmful effects when exposed to radiations and heavy metals.

It is a potent astringent, which serves to cleanse your body and skin, detoxifying it, making it clean.

It is also known to prevent tuberculosis.

It is also effective against rheumatism and arthritis. It helps strengthen the bones on account of its calcium content, combating and curing arthritis. It helps in promoting blood circulation and lymph as well as synovial fluid in joints, preventing rheumatism. As such, acerola is known to maintain the overall state of the skeletal system.

It is anti-fungal in action and as such, it helps prevent fungal skin diseases.

Helps in hydrating the body, maintain the water balance. As such, it also helps maintain steady state or hemostatic state, preventing hemorrhage.

Also regulates the functionality of blood capillaries, maintaining proper and even circulation of blood and lymph, maintaining the state of the circulatory system of the body.

Helps in the formation and regeneration of cellular structures; thereby maintaining the overall biological functions as well as the physiology of the body.

Is a powerful diuretic, which stimulates the kidneys and the excretory system and promotes the formation of urine. This, in turn helps in removing the waste materials from the body, thereby preventing susceptibility to kidney stones and other afflictions like accumulation of urea compounds in the body.

Is anti-inflammatory in action and helps prevent afflictions like fever and cold.

Helps in the production of acids for digestion that maintain the optimum pH balance in the body. As such, it also activates certain digestive enzymes like pepsin. Acerola berry helps prevent dyspepsia and indigestion. It also helps prevent colon cancer.

Helps in lowering the concentration of cholesterol content of the body, protecting against a variety of cardiovascular diseases like coronary attack and arteriosclerosis.

Acerola berries are negative calorie foods, which helps reduce weight. Negative calorie foods are items, which are low on calorie content and consume a lot of calories for digestion. As such, the acerola berries lead to burning of body calories to digest, thereby assisting in weight loss. As such, if you are suffering from obesity, you may include acerola in your daily diet.

Acerola berries are a potent laxative, which serves to calm your nerves down. As such, it helps relieve stress, depression, anger and anxiety, promoting a feeling of well being and elation.

May also be deployed to promote blood clotting, aiding faster healing of wounds and bruises. It helps in the formation of collagen, which is the basic structure of skin and the underlying connective tissue. It also protects against septic infections.

Helps vision and may also be used to treat bleeding of eyes.

May also be used in the treatment of melisma. It is known to lower melanin production, and as such, it is extensively used in some of the skin creams.

Acerola is particularly beneficial for children on account of its high content of Vitamin C. It strengthens their immune system as well as eradicates oral problems. In addition, acerola helps in their proper growth by stimulating their skeletal system.

The intake of acerola is not considered safe in pregnancy, and may affect the unborn baby. The rich content of Vitamin C (also called ascorbic acid) may adversely affect pregnant women and lactating mothers. As such, pregnant women may consult their doctors on advice on the dosage of acerola that may be taken for best results. If you are suffering from latex allergy, you are advised to avoid acerola. In fact, acerola for allergy is prohibited.

Side Effects Of Acerola

Acerola is known to have positive effects on the body, if taken in proper dosage. However, intake of acerola in excessive amounts poses certain adverse results. Some of the side effects of acerola are diarrhea, esophagitis, abdominal cramps, conditional scurvy, migraine and associated symptoms like dizziness, nausea and fatigue and hemolysis.

Information & Facts:

The basic information & facts on acerola are as under:

Also called Barbados cherry, wild crapemyrtle and West Indian cherry, acerola is a native of Central and South America, South Mexico, and sup-tropical regions of Asia, particularly India.

Grows well in dry and sandy soil and thrives and proliferates well in sunlight. It is susceptible to cold and has low tolerance to winds.

Is an evergreen shrub that grows to a height of 2-3 meters. It bears leaves which are simple oval-lanceolate and are attached to petioles. The acerola plant bears bisexual flowers, which have five pink or red colored petals. Each of the inflorescences of the plant bears 3-5 flowers. The acerola fruit is a drupe (a fruit in which an outer fleshy part sounds a shell as in peaches) which is bright red in color. The flavor of acerola fruit may vary from sour to sweet.

Is a rich source of certain nutrients like Vitamin C. It also contains a substantial amount of other vitamins like Vitamin A, B1, B2 and B3.

Is also a rich source of certain compounds like carotenoids and bioflavonoids.

May be consumed as acerola juice, which is rich in Vitamin C.

Known for its medicinal uses and is widely deployed as a home remedy to cure a variety of afflictions.

Is a rich source of certain vital minerals like potassium and magnesium.

It may be consumed as a fruit or as fruit juice. It may be included in your diet along with other fruits and vegetables to supplement the daily requirement of vitamins and minerals in the body.

Is also available as acerola supplements like acerola extract as a powder, etc.